IoD: ‘TfL & Uber must find a way through licence stand-off’

Responding to Transport for London’s decision to cancel Uber’s London licence today, Dan Lewis, Senior Infrastructure Adviser at the Institute of Directors, said:

“Large numbers of Londoners will be dismayed by Transport for London’s decision today to block Uber’s licence. Ride-hailing apps have brought enormous positive disruption to transport in the capital, and the taxi market has become much more competitive as result.

“User safety is clearly very important and it is the role of the regulator to ensure any company operating private-hire licences meets appropriate security standards. In the short space of time now available for an appeal, we urge Uber to clarify how it will meet the standards outlined by the regulator. We also urge TfL to pay heed to London’s hard-fought and positive reputation as a hotbed for disruptive innovation and tech-driven competition. Regulatory hurdles should not be an insurmountable barrier to allowing consumers to use products if they find them useful.

“With 40,000 jobs now at stake across London, there could also a big human cost to this decision. TfL and Uber must come together to find a way through this because the bottom line is that competition driven by consumer choice is the cornerstone of the UK’s future economic success.”

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